List of Sunset Valley storylines
Someone Killed Johnny (2011) The Someone Killed Johnny storyline was described by Executive Producer Oliver Greenwich as a "great starting point", allowing the viewers to get to know each character and their background. It was inspired by the original EastEnders pilot, referring to Reg Cox. Greenwich explains how he "liked what they did with EastEnders, and I wanted to put a modern twist on the 'whodunnit' scenario". On 25 December 2011, ten months after the murder investigation began, Johnny's step-father Nick Walker was revealed to be the killer. Georgina Wimpton, Executive Producer alongside Greenwich, stated that "Nick being the killer was a great turning point on he show. It also conjoins this storyline with the physical abuse of Sallie. It was a great way of killing the character off in the most subtle way possible". Billygate (2012) Billygate was the running theme throughout the second season of the show, involving Billy Walker. Greenwich explained his decision for this storyline by saying "it's not all the time you see gang culture on the television, in dramas and soap operas. I didn't want the Walker story to be done. Emily had a storyline, and Sallie also has a storyline this season, so I wanted to give Billy a chance to show himself off to the viewers". The storyline was built up from the start of the second season, which showed Billy having many arguments with his mother, Sallie, blaming her for his fathers death. In the end, he runs away from home, departing from the series temporarily until a few weeks later in which he returns as part of a gang. Parts of this storyline consisted of Billy threatening his mother numerous times, and the gang rape of his aunt which he watched and acknowledged. In the end, Billy is sent to prison, and his fellow gang members were found by police a few days later. Billygate lead to a seperate sub-plot in which Sallie and Samuel Dean began a relationship, after Sallie confides in Samuel about her family problems. Other storylines 'Nick and Sallie's abusive relationship (2011)' The abuse storyline was a sub-plot during the first season, used to piece together the Someone Killed Johnny storyline. This storyline involved Nick mentally abusing Sallie, and his attempted murder of Sallie's sister, Denise. The storyline ended when Nick was killed off. 'Emily's secret, pregnancy and aftermath (2011–2012)' This was originally a mini-storyline, which later ran through the first and second seasons. For the first season, it was used to create some mystery around Emily's character and cause suspicion with the Someone Killed Johnny storyline. At the end of the first season, it was revealed that Emily was meeting with her secret lover, Aaron, and that she was pregnant. The storyline was carried through to the second season, in which Emily struggles to come clean to her mum, Sallie. Part-way through the season, Aaron's father blurts it out to Sallie during a heated argument in The Valley. For the remainder of the season, the storyline was dubbed as the "aftermath". In June 2012, Emily gives birth to Blue Walker. She ends her relationship with Aaron and puts Blue up for adoption. 'Samuel and Renette's affair (2011–2012)' The affair of Terry's brother and girlfriend was a mini-storyline that ran through the first and second seasons. The storyline begins after Terry is sent to jail for the suspected murder of Johnny Walker, and Renette uses Samuel as a shoulder to cry on. After a talk, they passionately kiss and sleep with each other, leaving Renette pregnant which she finds out weeks later, just before Terry returns. Terry finds out that she is pregnant, but that it's not his. 'Sallie and Samuel's relationship (2012–)' The relationship of Sallie Walker and Samuel Dean was built up over the course of the second season. They kiss for the first time in the final episode of the season, ending on a cliffhanger.